Electric motors are commonly utilized to power electric devices within a vehicle (e.g., an automobile). FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a prior art electric motor 100 including an axle 140 around which a rotor 110 rotates, and also including brushes 154 and 158 connected to a power source 160 to provide power to rotor 110.
Generally, rotor 110 is surrounded by a field magnet 120 having a “north pole” 124 and a “south pole” 128 on opposite sides of rotor 110. Furthermore, rotor 110 typically includes a magnetic orientation (i.e., north pole and south pole) that changes at a pre-determined position when power is supplied to brushes 154 and 158. In this example, rotor 110 includes a magnetic orientation that changes as rotor 110 rotates such that a “north pole” is always above a horizontal position 130. The changing “north pole” of rotor 110 is attracted to south pole 128 and repelled by north pole 124, which in this example, results in a clockwise rotation around axle 140.
To create the magnetic properties of rotor 110, magnets are commonly bonded to the surface of rotor 110. However, it has been demonstrated that it is desirable to include one or more magnets embedded within a rotor. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods for forming one or more magnets within a rotor. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.